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3 June 2009
Are satellite-based landslide hazard algorithms useful?
In some parts of the world, such as the Seattle area of the USA, wide area landslide warning systems are operated on the basis of rainfall thresholds. These are comparatively simple in essence – basically the combination of short term and long term rainfall that is needed to trigger landslides is determined, often using historical records of landslide events. A critical threshold is determined for the combination of these two …
19 May 2009
To explore or to research? That is not the question.
Some readers will be aware that there has been a rumpus during the last few months at the Royal Geographical Society (RGS-IBG) over its policy not to organise and run its own expeditions. A small but influential group (the Beagle Campaign) petitioned for, and got, a Special General Meeting of the Fellows of the Society, culminating in a vote on the issue, on Monday. The resolution, which was opposed unanimously …
6 March 2009
The role of landslides in global warming
A rather extraordinary paper has just been published in Geophysical Research Letters about landslides triggered by the Wenchuan (Sichuan) earthquake. Why is it extraordinary – well, let me quote from the abstract. The paper suggests that the landslides caused destruction of vegetation such that “the cumulative CO2 release to the atmosphere over the coming decades is comparable to that caused by hurricane Katrina 2005 (~105 Tg) and equivalent to ~2% …
9 January 2009
Future British seasonal precipitation extremes – implications for landslides
One of the great questions of the age is of course the ways in which climate change will affect the weather patterns that we are likely to see in the future. In the case of landslides the key issue is the ways in which precipitation patterns will alter, especially the most intensive rainfall events that are responsible for many of the most damaging landslides. One of the most significant steps …
18 December 2008
Spatial patterns of deaths from natural hazards in the US
There is a very interesting paper in press in the International Journal of Health Geographics on the spatial patterns of mortality (deaths) from Natural Hazards in the United States. The paper, entitled “Spatial Patterns of Natural Hazards Mortality in the United States” by Borden and Cutter is in pre-print form but can be downloaded as a PDF here. First up, lets be clear that the authors are reputable – Susan …
18 September 2008
Global warming and landslide occurrence
One of the most vexed questions in landslide science at the moment is that of the potential link between climate change and mass movement occurrence. I have yet to meet a landslide researcher who does not believe in the reality of anthropogenic global warming, so we are all deeply interested in how our particular systems are likely to respond. Unfortunately this is not an easy question to answer for three …
11 June 2008
Deaths and research in landslides
Now that the Tangjiashan crisis is over, it is clearly time to move on to other things. I will posta retrospective on that event when the dust has settled. For now I think we should allow the Chinese to bask in the success of their achievement. To change the topic, I thought it would be interesting to post an analysis that I did a couple of years ago. The analysis …
Dave Petley is the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Hull in the United Kingdom. His blog provides commentary and analysis of landslide events occurring worldwide, including the landslides themselves, latest research, and conferences and meetings.
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